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**Vietnam War Pilot, MIA Since 1967, Finally Accounted For**
Nearly six decades after his disappearance during a solo nighttime mission over Laos, American pilot John C.G. Kerr has been accounted for, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced.
Kerr, who had been missing since the Vietnam War in 1967, was last seen piloting an attack aircraft and was officially declared killed in action on June 4 of that year. The methods used to finally account for Kerr’s fate were not detailed in the announcement.
This breakthrough is part of a broader effort by the Vietnam War Identification Project, aimed at identifying the missing soldiers from the conflict. Despite the challenges, the initiative employs sophisticated scientific methods, including DNA testing and isotope analysis, to identify the remains of fallen soldiers. Currently, out of the 1,500 service members still missing from the Vietnam War, only about 1,000 are considered recoverable based on various factors.
The project has 170 active accessions, cases where possible human remains associated with the war have been recovered. These remains undergo rigorous testing in the hope of finally bringing closure to families waiting for decades.
The accounting of Kerr’s fate underscores the ongoing commitment to ensuring that no service member who went missing in action is ever forgotten. The application of advanced DNA and scientific techniques holds promise for more families still awaiting answers about their loved ones lost in the Vietnam War.